War Room Tavern a bold addition to Albany scene
Politics, steak and sushi an odd but winning mix at new restaurant near state Capitol
From the mind of veteran New York PR executive Todd Shapiro comes a tavern worth drinking in, a menu worth eating and — in the ultimate coup — the return of famed itamae and restaurateur Yasuo Saso, lured from the corporate-cafeteria world, where he’d spent most of the 13 years since closing his eponymous Albany restaurant. The governor was at the opening, and it’s twice made Page Six of the New York Post. Politics and cocktails. Cigars and strategy. If there’s anyone left who hasn’t heard of it, I’m talking about the new Albany War Room Tavern at 42 Eagle St. in Albany’s downtown.
Taking over the Public House 42 building previously owned by restaurateur Chris Pratt and 40 Eagle next door, which Shapiro said was borrowed by prostitutes and drug users until the day of sale, the War Room is ideally located opposite the Albany Capital Center, easily accessed by state employees via walkways connecting state lots and a quick stroll from the Empire State Plaza or the Capitol. With parking in nearby garages, the Renaissance Albany hotel anchoring the corner of Eagle and State and events filling the convention center, the War Room Tavern, named for the state Capitol’s muralbedecked War Room, is pulling in politicos, hotel guests, sports fans, convention-goers and many others.
It would be an easy shot if any part of Shapiro’s vision fell short. His personal trove of political portraits, campaign ephemera and collectibles — including a cigar box belonging to Andrew M. Cuomo and a jacket from Rudy Giuliani — decorate the three-story building, where past governors, presidents, activists and a bull moose peer down from the walls. Todd’s Back Room, the three-story cigar bar next door, is decorated in dark hues and studded leather chairs to resemble the governor’s Executive Chamber and modeled on private clubs, including 300 cigar lockers at an annual snip of $2,500 apiece.
First-time restaurateur Shapiro has faced obstacles common to the industry, including losing his first tavern chef before the doors opened.
But he’s secured a surprisingly solid team: executive chef Richard Lyman, former executive chef of Mint in Glens Falls and sous chef of Next Door Kitchen & Bar in Ballston Spa; tavern sous chef Charlene Campbell, previously of Yono’s in Albany; sushi sous chef Paul Meng, with 10 years’ sushi experience at Sushi Dojo in Manhattan and Arata Sushi in Long Island. With Saso, that’s four chefs, two menus, an attentive general manager in Tony Sharifipour, familiar from Buddha Tea House in Albany and Bello Pranzo in Scotia, and a small, friendly staff who appear to work all hours.
Belly up to the garden-level bar and choose politically themed drinks like The Patriot (Milagro silver tequila, muddled orange, Rhum Clement), The Dignitary (Great Jones bourbon with ginger liqueur) or King of Conspiracy (Woodford Reserve, apple cider and spices), depending on your persuasion. Think twice before trying Saso’s Revenge — a planter’s punch with the whip of a Long Island iced tea. Order Teddy Roosevelt’s fried chicken poutine, large enough to share, with fries under peppery white gravy and melted cheese curds, topped by large, crisp drums and thighs.
Or head upstairs to the revamped dining room, where suit-wearers will appreciate black tablecloths and napkins keeping white lint at bay, tiny table lamps that illuminate menus and a playlist pairing Sinatra and the Andrews Sisters with Doris Day. Asian elements are present in fried edamame dumplings and pork belly bao; a shareable trio of wagyu sliders hit the mark with tender beef and burnt-scallion aioli; and zucchini ricotta fritters are plump bundles to dab in sweet chile sauce. A carrot-sesame soup special could have used salt to cut sweetness but is generously portioned in a stylishly arced bowl.
Those with expense accounts might choose a $170 porterhouse, (though it’s choice, not prime), a dramatic bone-in $140 tomahawk with savory crust and wicked sear or the more favorably priced 8-ounce Pataki filet mignon ($54), named for the former Republican governor. Chances are you’ll enjoy the juicy War Room Burger, cooked perfect pink, soaking umami juices from a slab of pork belly and brioche smeared in garlic aioli. If you’re going to spend $19 on a burger and hand-cut fries, it ought to be here.
I’m smitten with the kitchen’s vegetable game: Sides of harissa asparagus, baby carrots with smoked labneh and miso-butter sprouts — bright, loose leaves topped with slowly melting miso butter — make a meal in themselves. I didn’t have the baked potato but, readers, that bad boy is deep-fried. Go for FDR’s grilled cheese with melted Gruyere and havarti getting jiggy with bacon jam, or Governor Grover Cleveland’s corned beef sandwich, which takes yesteryear’s club sandwich and smashes thinly sliced corned beef in close quarters with mustard, pickles and napa cabbage on lightly toasted marble rye. This is tavern food, drinking food — the portly domain of D.C. lunches washed down with a pint or nice cabernet. Shapiro knows game recognizes game: Few places casually stock Macallan 25 sherry oak single malt (which retails at more than $3,000 a bottle) and Cristal Champagne. With plans to expand their choice of Japanese whisky and offer the largest sake selection in the area, it will be worth spending time with the lists. But savvy sippers will spy Gruet Brut ($34 a bottle), a superb dry sparkling wine from New Mexico made in the methode champenoise with ultra-fine bubbles. It’s as easy on the wallet as the tongue.
Sushi is arguably the biggest allure with Saso in person and now Meng as his experienced sous. A slimline sushi menu is available at the downstairs bar, while the full array is upstairs. Options include a prix-fixe “omakase” menu ($84.99) with seared miso cod in homage to Nobu and carefully cross-hatched striped bass tataki with a restrained splash of ponzu. Nigiri and sashimi are arranged in order, starting with delicate white fish and moving on to fattier fish and tuna with tamago (egg) left, like dessert, for the end. You can also choose a la carte. A single uni nigiri (sea urchin, market priced when I got it at $6.78) is the best upstate bite I’ve had in a year. Fish and seafood deliveries come twice a week from Fulton Fish Market in New York City, where, Shapiro says, Gov. Alfred Smith once worked. Fresh oysters will come next, a favorite food of President Martin Van Buren of Kinderhook.
Open all day, seven days a week, filling gaps left by the closure of Jack’s Oyster House and scrapping of lunch at dp: An American Brasserie and 677 Prime downtown, it’s fair to say the power lunch is back and happy hour has new life. I should know, having people-watched over lunch, drinks and dinner in visits spanning the weekend and early to midweek.
Albany War Room Tavern came in with a mission and a politically peppered, if self-congratulatory, mood. But sushi and steak, cocktails and beer, a four-seat sushi counter, happy-hour discounts and a karaoke night make for an everyman hero in Albany’s boring downtown. Somebody pinch me. After the pandemic austerity, it’s like the ’90s are back.